---
The weight of her words settled heavily on Dabi's shoulders.
He thought of Eli and Mira, their innocent faces lighting up as they laughed with Beriz in the other room.
They had no idea of the storm brewing around them, no inkling of the danger they were in.
"I never wanted any of this," he said quietly. "I just wanted to protect my siblings and live a normal life."
"I know," Tessa said, her voice softening. "But your bloodline has marked you for a different path. The sooner you accept that, the better prepared you'll be to face what lies ahead."
Dabi shook his head, his anger simmering beneath the surface.
"I don't care about the throne or Kael's plans. My only priority is keeping my siblings safe. That's all that matters."
"And that's precisely why you need to understand the stakes," Tessa said.
"If you don't confront this head on, Kael will come for them. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away."
